A Michigan mayor reportedly called President Donald Trump a “pathetic excuse” for a president and knelt in front of students to show solidarity with NFL players, according to a Thursday report from Campus Reform.

Lansing, Mich. mayor Virg Bernero condemned the president during an October speech in a Michigan State University political science classroom, reported Campus Reform. The Democrat mayor would not let students record his lecture.

Bernero called Trump the “divider-in-chief” and said he was a “pathetic excuse” for a president. The mayor knelt in front of the class, decrying the injustice of administrators who do not let student athletes kneel during the national anthem. Bernero proceeded to blame the kneeling debate on Trump, labeling him “despicable.”

The mayor called the national anthem a “battle hymn” and expressed confusion when speaking about Americans who stand for it.

“He basically gave a really convoluted answer about how, like, he couldn’t say where he got the money from because he was afraid people would record him,” said student Max Vinoxour to Campus Reform, describing an interaction during the mayor’s visit in which he asked Bernero about construction of a park.

“If he was doing everything within the confines of his job, then why couldn’t he explain that to us?”

Bernero has served as Lansing mayor since 2006 but is not running for re-election.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to Bernero and Michigan State University for comment, but received none in time for press.

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